Auto monoplane



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Dec. 28, 1937. E. F. WAGNER AUTO MONOPLANE Filed Dec. 16, 1935 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Sarch 2,103,881

E. F. WAGNER AUTO MONOPLANE 244| AlHUW/"AM um Filed Dec. 16, 1935 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 neg.

Dec. 28, 1937. E. F, WAGNER AUTO MONOPLANE Filed DSC. 16, 1955 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 'fz/verdor:

L-.. e esame 49 Patented Dec. 2s, 1937 2,103,881

UNITED vSTATES PATENT oFFl'cE AUTO MONOPLANE Edward F. Wagner, Philadelphia, Pa.

Application December 16, 1935, Serial No. 54,538

4 Claims. (Cl. 244-48) My invention relates to new and useful imshowing a portion of the locking mechanism in a provements in an auto monoplane and has for position to permit a wing to be swung from one one of its objects to provide an aeroplane with position to another.

Wings that can be folded into parallelism with Fig. 8 is an enlarged section of one'wing on the the fuselage so the machine can be used as an line 8 8 of Fig. 5. automobile. Fig. 9 is a cross section of the lock keeper, on

Another object of the invention is to construct a reduced scale, showing the positions of the a unique mechanism for permitting the wings keeper notches and slots. i

to be moved into folded or open positions. Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic view of the several 10 Another object of the invention is to provide driving mechanisms and controls, and 10 a novel locking mechanism for temporarily fixing Fig. 11 is a fragmentary vertical section of the wings in either an open or folded position. Fig. 6.

Another object of the invention is to generally In carrying out my invention as herein emimprove aeroplanes of this type and particularly bodied l5 represents the fuselage of the aero- 15 to provide means for pivotally mounting the plane of suitable size, shape and design with 15 wings on a common center, the structure of the main power plant I6 located in the cowl I1 which I choose to term a fifth-wheel. having any number of suitable louvers I8. This Another object of the invention is to provide main power plant I6 operates the driving prowing supporting arms having bifurcated branches peller i9 and the rear or propulsion wheels 20 for attachment to the wing spars and journals independently of each other. To this end I have for pivotal connection to a centrally located shown, particularly in Fig. 10, means 2|, such mast. as a chain, for driving the counter shaft 22 from A further object of this invention is to provide the engine shaft 23 and on said counter shaft 22 an arrangement of propellers that assist in liftis fixed an internally tapered fly wheel 24, or 25 ing the aeroplane and therefore also function its equivalent, with which the clutch cone 25 cO- 25 as safety devices during forced or other landings. operates to transmit motion fro-m the counter A still further object of the present invention shaft 22 to the clutch shaft 26 on which said cone is to provide auxiliary motive means for the liftis splined so as to revolve therewith and slide ing propellers whereby they may be operated inthereon. The clutch cone is moved longitudinal- Vdependently of the driving propeller which latly of its shaft by a clutch pedal 21 or similar 30 ter includes either tractor or pusher screws. means. With the above other objects in view, this in- The clutch shaft 26 is connected with the vention consists of the details of construction transmission 28 comprising the usual gears emand combination of elements hereinafter set ployed in automobile construction and mounted forth and then designated by the claims. in a gear box 29. The speed change gears of 35 In order that those skilled in the art to which the transmission are actuated by the gear shiftthis invention appertains may understand how ing lever 30 and motion is transmitted to the to make and use the same, I will describe its drive shaft 3|, Which is connected to the transconstruction in detail, referring by numerals to mission by the universal joint 32, and thence the accompanying drawings, in which: through the differential 33 to the rear axle for 40 Fig. l is a side elevation of an auto-monoplane the rear wheels 20. constructed in accordance with my invention. In order to stop the machine brakes 34 are pro- Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof showing the vided which, for purposes of illustration, are wings in open position and illustrating in dotted shown as associated with the rear wheels and lines the closed or folded position thereof, a porhaving brake rods 35 connected to a brake pedal 45 tion of one wing being broken away. 36.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the aeroplane. In addition to the rear wheels, the aeroplane Fig. 4 is a view looking at one side with poris mounted upon front wheels 31 which are also tions of the fuselage broken away and shown in used as landing vwheels and when the machine section to illustrate the interior arrangements is being used upon a roadway said front Wheels 50 and locations of some of the parts. are guided by a steering gear including the steerl Fig. 5 is a plan View of the wing assembly with ing post 38 and. the steering wheel 39. This the two wings folded or closed. steering wheel as Well as the gear shifting lever,

Fig. 6 is an enlarged end view thereof. brake and clutch pedals are located in easy ac- Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 6 cess of the operator who may be seated on a seat 55 40 in the cockpit. The front wheel structure is provided with extra heavy duty shock absorbers 4| and suitable struts 42.

A control stick 43 and a rudder bar 44 are also located adjacent the operators seat 40 for actuating the elevators 45 and the rudder 46 respectively through Suitable connecting means 41. The elevators are connected to the horizontal stabilizers 48 and the rudder is hinged to the vertical stabilizer 49.

Under the fuselage at the tail end is a safety skid 50 to prevent the elevators or other parts contacting with the ground at the time of landing should the operator give too much lift to the forward end.

The interior of the aeroplane may be divided off in any desirable number of compartments for passengers, goods being shipped, storage of gasoline, oil or other supplies and in carrying out this feature of invention, I have shown an additional seat 5| in the cockpit and this seat as well as the operators seat 40 may be adjustably mounted on tracks 52.

The wings 53 have the usual ribs 54 and spars 55 and to the latter are fastened the branches 56 of the bifurcated ends of the supporting arms 51, the opposite ends of which have journals 58 for registration with the hollow mast 59 mounted in the fuselage and projecting a considerable distance above the top thereof. This mast is fixed at its lower end in a bracket 60 and is further supported in the upper part of the fuselage frame and the roof of a canopy 6| located above the cockpit.

On top of the canopy roof is mounted a lock keeper 62 in the form of an inverted cup with a flange 63 surrounding its lower open end to receive the attaching means 64, such as bolts, and the top wall has a hole through which the mast projects while the side walls have two slots 65 formed therein which slots terminate at both ends in notches or depressions 66. A locking member or catch 61 is connected at one end to each wing supporting arm by a bolt 68 on which the catch is slidably mounted and such catch is normally urged away from its respective supporting arm by a spring 69 which may be of the coiled type and positioned about the bolt 68.

The other end of the catch projects into the keeper for registration with either of the notches and the slot and said other end of the catch is urged into a notch by a spring 10 located between a vertically xed element, such as the wing supporting arm or a collar 1|, and the catch 61. A hand screw 12 projects through the catch and is threaded into the wing supporting arm for withdrawing the catch from a notch, as in Fig. '1, by compressing the springs 10 and 69.

With the catch withdrawn from a notch, the wing may be readily rotated from one position to another and when the desired position is reached the hand screw is backed off sufliciently to allow the catch 61 to enter the aligned notch and the wing will be securely held in place.

The journals 58 of the wing supporting arms 51 are positioned above the keeper 62 and may have one or more washers 13 located between them and above the uppermost journal is a washer 14 against which a spring 15 bears to resiliently hold the wing supporting arms against undue vertical movement, said spring also bearing against a nut l16 adjustably connected to the mast for varying the tension of said spring.

The wings are supported in their open positions by struts 11 pivoted at their lower ends by thumb screws 18 to the outside ofthe fuselage and detachably connected at their upper ends to the underside of the wings by bolts 19 or equivalent fastening means. When the wings are to be folded back or closed the struts 11 are disconnected from the wings and swung down into hooks on the sides of the fuselage as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. The wings are further supported in both of their positions by hangers 8| having their ends fastened to the mastl and the tops of the wings and said hangers are adjustable through the medium of turnbuckles 82.

When the wings are in a folded or closed position they are supported intermediate their ends by an open-work platform 83 mounted on top of the fuselage and the leaves 84 hinged at 85 to the sides of said platform and adjustable to different heights by props 86, one hinged at 81 to each leaf 84 and having hand Screws 88 for ,threaded connection with the plates 89 on the sides of the fuselage and provided with a vertical row of spaced holes 90 to receive the screws.

After the wings have been closed or folded so they rest on the platform 83 the leaves 84 are raised to move them into engagement with the undersides of the wings which do not rest directly upon the platform.

A shaft 9| is mounted in the hollow mast with its ends projecting beyond the ends of the said mast and the lower end of said shaft extends out side of the fuselage where it is further Supported by a bracket 92. Gn the upper end of the shaft 9| is fixed a lifting propeller 93 of the tractor type and on the lower end of said shaft is fixed another lifting propeller 94 of the pusher type.

Still another lifting propeller 95 of the tractor type is located above the fuselage at the after part of the machine and is fixed to a vertical shaft 96 passing through the top of the fuselage in a bearing 91 and a bracket 98. The lifting propellers are all driven by an auxiliary motive means 99, Fig. 4,' which may be any suitable prime mover but for purposes of illustration it is shown as an internal combustion motor geared to the shaft 96 and motion is transmitted from` said shaft to the shaft 9| as by a chain |00 passing around sprockets on both of said shafts although other equivalent means can be utilized. Access to the auxiliary motive means and other parts in the after end of the machine may be had through one or more doorways normally closed by a door or doors |0|, one of which is shown in Fig. 1.

Whenever a landing is desirable or necessary, the lifting propellers can be operated in conjunction with or independently of the driving propeller and will cause the machine to land practically in a vertical direction and when taking off said lifting propellers may be used to raise the machine perpendicularly.

Two instrument boards or panels |02 and |03, Fig. 4, are provided and preferably they are located one above the other in the cockpit. One of them carries the .aeroplane instruments and the other the automobile instruments.

The machine is equipped with head lamps |04, a front license bracket |05, a rear lamp |06 and a rear license bracket |01 for use when the machine is being run as an automobile and additional lamps |08 are provided for navigation purposes when the machine is used as an aeroplane and the latter lamps are shown as suspended from the wings.

When the wings are in their open, outstretched positions they may be further supported by a earch cross-bar Il I having each end detachably connected to a separate wing of the machine by thumb or wing bolts H2.

I have not particularly pointed out or described the ordinary or well known elements of the aeroplane but all of the necessary parts are provided such, for example, as the ailerons |09 on the wings and a trimmer H0 on the rudder.

Of course I do not wish to be limited to the exact details of construction herein shown and described as these may be varied within the limits of the appended claims Without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention what I claim as new and useful is;-

1. An 4aeroplane comprising a fuselage, a canopy over the cockpit thereof, a mast mounted in said fuselage and projecting through and above the canopy, wings, supporting arms having their outer ends attached to the spars of the wings and their inner ends journalled on the mast so they may be moved into open outstretched or closed positions, a lock keeper mounted on top of the canopy and under the wing supporting arms, said keeper having slots in its side walls, each slot having a notch at both ends, a catch carried by each supporting arm and having an end projecting into the keeper for registration with a slot and the notches thereof, springs urging the catches away from the supportingl arms whereby they may be caused to enter the notches, and means to move the catches out of the notches to permit said catches to travel through the slots.

2. 'I'he structure in claim 1 in combination with a platform] mounted on top of the fuselage to support the wings when folded, leaves Hinged to the sides of said platform whereby they may be projected into engagement with the wings while the latter are in folded positions, and props for supporting said leaves in various selected elevations.

3. In combination, a wheel supported fuselage having a cockpit, a canopy over said cockpit, a mast in said cockpit and protruding above the canopy, wings journalled on the mast whereby they may be selectively moved into open or closed positions, stationary means on the after part of the fuselage on Which portions of the Wings rest when .in closed positions, and means adjustably connected with the first mentioned means to be moved into engagement with the undersides of the Wings while said wings are in their closed positions for assisting to support said wings.

4. An aeroplane comprising a fuselage, a mast mounted in said fuselage and projecting above the same, a lock keeper comprised of an inverted cup encircling the mast just above the fuselage, said lock keeper having oppositely positioned circular slots with notches at both ends, means to support said lock keeper, wing supporting arms having their inner ends journalled on the mast one above the other and both above the lock keeper, means to urge said arms toward the lock keeper, spring actu-ated catches carried by the wing supporting arms and projecting into the lock keeper slots for registration with the notches, means projecting through the catches and threaded into the arms for withdrawing said catches from the notches, and wings carried by said arms.

EDWARD F. WAGNER.

Room 

